eau which Malcolm McTrigger and his brother Donald had
built of logs, in a room whose windows faced the Watcher himself,
Marette was unveiling the last of mystery for Jim Kent. And this, too,
was her hour of triumph. Her lips were red and warm with the flush
brought there by Kent's love.

Her face was like the wild roses he had crushed under his feet all that
day. For in this hour the world had come to her, and had prostrated
itself at her feet. The sacred contents of the pack were in her lap as
she leaned back in the great blanketed and pillowed chair that had been
her invalid's nest for many days. But it was an invalid's nest no
longer. The floods of life were pounding through her body again, and in
that hour when Malcolm McTrigger and his wife were gone, Kent looked
upon the miracle of its change. And now Marette gave to him a little
packet, and while Kent opened it she raised both hands to her head and
unbound her hair so that it fell about her in shining and glorious
confusion.

Kent, unwrapping a last bit of tissue-paper, found in his hands a long
tress of hair.

"See, Jeems, it has grown fast since I cut it that night."

She leaned a little toward him, parting her hair with slim, white
fingers so that he saw again where the hair had been clipped the night
of Kedsty's death.

And then she said: "You may keep it always if you want to, Jeems, for I
cut it from my head when I left you in the room below, and when
you--almost--believed I had killed Kedsty. It was this--"

She gave him another packet, and her lips tightened a little as Kent
unwrapped it, and another tress of hair shimmered in the lamp glow.

"That was father Donald's," she whispered.

"It--it was all he had left of Marie, his wife. And that night--when
Kedsty died--"

"I understand," cried Kent, stopping her. "He choked Kedsty with it
until he was dead. And when I found it around Kedsty's neck--you--you
let me think it was yours--to save father Donald!"

She nodded. "Yes, Jeems. If the police had come, they would have
thought I was guilty. I planned to let them think so until father
Donald was safe. But all the time I had here in my breast this other
tress, which would prove that I was innocent--when the time came. And
now, Jeems--"

She smiled at him again and reached out her hands. "Oh, I feel so
strong! And I want to take you out now--and show you my
valley--Jeems--our valley--yours and mine--in the starlight. Not
tomorrow, Jeems. But